Under the joint European Union/Council of Europe action “Freedom of expression and freedom of the media in Serbia (JUFREX 2)” a follow up workshop for lawyers was organized on 30 November and 1 December, in Vrdnik, Serbia. The event was conceived as an enhanced learning opportunity for lawyers from the Bar Association of Serbia and Vojvodina Bar Association, who attended earlier training courses on freedom of expression. The workshop was focused on the Article 10 (Art.10) of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), through the practical exercises on selected cases of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), related to defamation, privacy and safety of journalists.

As indicated in the summary of the last meeting of the Committee on the Implementation of Obligations and Obligations by the Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee), the Monitoring Committee has agreed to a comprehensive opinion from the Venice Commission on the “constitutional” and legal framework for the functioning of democratic institutions in Serbia ”, taking into account its earlier statement from 15.-16. October 2021 on the draft constitutional amendments on the judiciary and on the draft constitutional law to implement the constitutional amendments.

The Minister of Environment and Planning, Spatial and Infrastructure, Liburn Aliu, stated in front of the media after the end of the court session.

Aliu said that while he was the director of Urbanism in the Municipality of Prishtina, he protected public property.

He added that the allegations in the indictment have no legal basis.

“Today’s session ends, where the defense opposed the indictment and asked to be dismissed.

What we have done and I as a leader have kept the public interest, in this case in the new Prishtina to have a school as foreseen by the plan.

All the evidence was presented that to give a permit we have to be based on the plan and we are based on the plan.

These plans have been approved by the Municipal Assembly and have been legally certified in the bodies provided by law, and there is no other possibility for the directorate of urbanism to issue permits other than these plans.

“The allegations of the indictment have no basis, we have implemented the law and we have protected public property”, said Aliu.

The Minister was optimistic that the court will make the right decision.

Otherwise, according to the indictment, besides Liburn Aliu, Ardian Olluri, Zejnulla Rexhepi, Nazife Krasniqi, Bahtie Uka and Mimoza Berisha Prestreshi are also accused of abusing their official position or authority. / Telegraphy /

LDK candidate for Mayor of Prishtina, Përparim Rama spoke about the project managed by his company for the construction of villas near Lake Badoc, which was canceled by Lumir Abdixhiku in 2020, in the capacity of Minister of Infrastructure .

Rama in Rubikon of Klan Kosova said that the project was in line with the highest global standards for environmental impact, but that it was canceled due to protests by environmentalists.

“As an architect, I adhere to the processes, regulations precisely, we have different offers from different investors for different projects and we always go to see if the project is within the legal contours, within the regulatory plan, within the master development plan of Prishtina.”

This was the first point, we looked at it based on the regulatory plan of Pristina, the project was inside, it was completely legal and we looked at it and brought the environmental aspect called “Briem four”, with four stars, where the parameters for environmental protection are the highest in the world. “It happened differently, it was canceled and okay.”

“The project was canceled because of the protests, not because it was not in order. It is totally legal, even if you look at it now it is based on the law, I as an architect look at the legal aspect, so they invite me to do projects. “It had absolutely no impact on the environment, the idea was for us to bring the ‘Briem four’ standard so that the others that are already being developed in that part could be developed according to that standard.”

Serbian lawyer Aleksandar Olenik commented on the statement of his colleague from Kosovo, Tome Gashi, that “Albania can file a genocide lawsuit against Serbia on behalf of Kosovo.” He said that Albania can do this, but ironically that there is no basis to argue.

“Kosovo has no legal basis to file genocide charges against Serbia or any other lawsuit, because it is not a member of the UN. “On the other hand, Albania has grounds to file lawsuits against Serbia, like Papua New Guinea or Australia, and the fact that the same language is spoken in Kosovo and Albania has nothing to do with this,” Olenik told Kosovo Online. transmits Gazeta Express.

He also stressed that “basically whether Serbia had a plan to expel all Albanians from Kosovo is another question, but he is confident that this case can not be opened before an international court.

“Citizens of Kosovo can not even turn to the European Court of Human Rights when it comes to court cases against anyone. I have to admit that I think it would be good if there was an opportunity for Serbia to present its arguments, Kosovo for itself and for someone else, impartially, to give its assessment on this issue, but I do not believe it is possible at the moment “, said Olenik.

On Friday morning, eight police officers were arrested on suspicion of committing several criminal offenses, such as “Abuse of official position or authority”, “Abuse of office or public authority”, “Exercising influence” and “Acquisition, possession”. unauthorized distribution and sale of narcotic substances ”.

Regarding this case, the lawyer Naim Rudari from the Kosovo Chamber of Advocates, who represents one of the arrested, reacted.

In a Facebook post, Rudari stressed that the arrest of eight police officers shows what he calls legal uncertainty.

Rudari informs that initially some police officers were invited to the police station ostensibly for a police operation, but when they showed up at the station they were arrested.

“Legal uncertainty, on the occasion of the arrest of eight police officers! Yesterday on 05/03/2021 some police officers were invited to report to work at 06:00 in the morning ostensibly for a police operation, when they showed up at the station they were arrested as if they were in uniform ostensibly for some cases that occurred in November and December 2019. On the occasion of the fraudulent arrest of police officers, it was officially stated by the highest officials of the competent institutions that they are charged with many criminal offenses, including the criminal offense of Unauthorized Purchase, Possession, Distribution and Sale. of narcotic substances “, wrote Rudari.

Further, Rudari emphasizes that in the hearing held today, none of the police officers was charged with the criminal offense related to narcotics.

Today in the hearing on the request for detention on remand, none of the police officers was charged with the criminal offense related to narcotics and mainly police officers are now charged with the criminal offense “Ill-treatment in the exercise of official duty” to better understand the use of “force by police officers to assess whether there was an overuse of force or not, while the criminal offense of narcotics remained only at the conference,” he wrote.

Rudari also stressed that this arrest was made unfairly and without legal basis.

“We presented our remarks in court, what was the reason for that spectacle that for the suspicions of 2019 when the secret measures were used without a decision to start the investigation, to invite police officers for an operation and to arrest them. However unjust, arrest without legal basis and contrary to Article 162 of the KCCP, unreasonable, unnecessary and immoral which can not be called anything but legal uncertainty. Although unjustly arrested, they were detained and “Some of them, including one I represent, were sent to detention, further distorting justice, those who are about to do justice, without comment!”, Rudari wrote on “Facebook”. / Voice

The first training of trainers (ToT) on the HELP methodology with a focus on the HELP course Admissibility criteria for applications submitted to the European Court of Human Rights was organized online from June 24th to 26th for legal professionals in civil society organizations in Serbia.

The event was organized in collaboration with the Government Office for Cooperation with the Civil Society Organization of Serbia and brought together 16 representatives from nine civil society organizations working to promote and protect human rights and the rule of law.

In his opening remarks, Zarko Stepanovic, Director of the Office for Cooperation with Civil Society of the Government of Serbia, thanked the Council of Europe for the excellent cooperation established during the ToT and expressed his satisfaction with the continuation of the actions under various actions of the Horizontal Facility .

Eva Pastrana, head of the HELP department, emphasized that during the COVID-19 crisis the number of participants in the HELP courses as well as the demands of the national training institutions for a stronger national adaptation of the HELP courses increased significantly. For months, the HELP platform was an important instrument with which human rights training for the judiciary could continue even during this sanitary crisis.

Tobias Flessenkemper, head of the Council of Europe office in Belgrade, reminded the participants of the 70th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights. The convention system, which was put in place after World War II at a difficult and difficult moment for Europe, remains of enormous importance during another unprecedented crisis that is transforming public, professional and personal spaces and continues to have profound effects on the lives of people and people would European continent in the future.

Tatiana Termacic, Head of the Department for Coordination and International Cooperation, pointed out before the European Court of Human Rights the crucial role that civil society organizations (CSOs) play in the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights at national level. and then after the execution process before the Committee of Ministers. She added that civil society organizations help protect and promote human rights, but can themselves become victims of human rights violations. For this reason, the Council of Europe has put in place mechanisms to protect civil society organizations, and in particular human rights defenders.

The ToT had two goals: to introduce lawyers to the HELP methodology and to expand the scope of the HELP online courses to include informal human rights education programs run by civil society organizations, and the capacity of civil society organizations in strategic litigation before national courts and authorities to raise European Court of Human Rights (European Court of Justice).

In a three-day intensive course, the participants were introduced to the HELP methodology, the role of the HELP tutors and the HELP e-learning tools. The presentations by two lawyers from the European Court of Justice were complemented by dynamic discussions that enabled participants to learn more about admissibility criteria in applications submitted to the European Court of Human Rights, in particular incompatibility, non-exhaustion of domestic remedies, 6-month rule and obviously unfounded applications .

The ToT was created as part of the “Strengthening effective legal remedies against human rights violations in Serbia” and “AID in the Western Balkans“, Implemented under the joint program of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Western Balkans and Turkey Horizontal Facility 2019-2020”.

Access the online platform HELP of the Council of Europe and take part in our online courses on human rights free of charge

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – – The Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Yasonna H Laoly, is leading an Indonesian delegation to Beograd on Saturday to strengthen bilateral relations and to follow up on the mutual legal assistance treaty Serbia.

According to a statement received on Saturday, the minister is expected to meet a number of Serbian ministers and law enforcement agencies during his visit.

The departure of Laoly, along with the Indonesian delegates, is a continuation of the meeting the Minister had with the Serbian Ambassador to Indonesia, Slobodan Marinkovic, last week.

During the meeting, the Minister and the Ambassador discussed the potential for cooperation between Indonesia and Serbia in the area of ​​the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, including mutual legal assistance (MLA) and extraditions.

“We have previously received and experienced the draft international MLA agreement from Serbia. This visit will include further discussion and reaching an agreement on compliance. I hope there is good news to bring home from the visit can, “said the Minister.

He also stated that legal and human rights cooperation with Serbia needs to be strengthened as part of efforts to deal with increasing global challenges, particularly drug crime and human trafficking, which are part of organized cross-border crimes.

From a diplomatic point of view, the cooperation could strengthen the bilateral relations that have existed since 1954 Serbia was still part of Yugoslavia.

“That being said, working together in legal and human rights sectors like the MLA and extradition treaties can also be beneficial in efforts to eradicate corruption and corruption.” [in terms of] Asset recovery, “he added.

Indonesia has previously signed eleven such agreements, seven of which have been ratified into state law. These include MLA agreements with Australia, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, India and Vietnam, and ASEAN.

Four other agreements that are currently being ratified exist with the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Switzerland and Russia.

Also read: ASEAN, Serbia to strengthen cooperation

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